La Verdoyante, Aveyron, France

Bazaar's favourite family palaces

La Verdoyante is another family-friendly Bazaar favourite – as seen in the Escape section of our April issue

The Aveyron, in south-west France, is noted for three things: foie gras, Roquefort and spectacular family holidays. However, finding luxury deep in the country is not always easy. La Verdoyante, though, has all the glamour of a country club with the charm of a family home. This is a hilly region, and the 150-year-old house and barn dominate a huge view. As we sat on the verandah, drinking chilled Gaillac Perlé and recovering from an energetic game of tennis, we could see fluffy white clouds chasing each other across the sky. In the foreground, horses cropped the grass, and the children splashed in the infinity pool.

It’s tempting to spend the whole holiday lounging around the 18-acre garden and tucking into the resident chef’s version of veau d’Aveyron and aligot (a local take on mashed potato whipped up with cheese – as decadent as it is delicious). But this would be a tremendous shame, since the nearby mediaeval village of Najac boasts an awe-inspiring Sleeping Beauty castle, and the craggy grandeur of the Gorges de l’Aveyron is a short drive away. There are rivers to swim in and forest trails to follow, local markets to buy artisan sheep’s cheese and canoes to hire, rocks to climb, bicycles to ride, picturesque hilltop villages to explore. There’s even high culture in the form of the nearby town of Albi, with its magnificent cathedral and museum devoted to its most famous son, Toulouse-Lautrec.La Verdoyante (sleeps 10), from £13,000 a week full board, including wine, with Quality Villas (01442 870055).